Crouch lifts Saints clear of drop zone

Middlesbrough 1 Southampton 3

Fourth from bottom in the Premiership represents lofty heights for Southampton in this troubled season, so it was appropriate that their 6ft 7in striker Peter Crouch was the player who lifted them clear of the relegation places yesterday.

Fourth from bottom in the Premiership represents lofty heights for Southampton in this troubled season, so it was appropriate that their 6ft 7in striker Peter Crouch was the player who lifted them clear of the relegation places yesterday.

Crouch's finishing was splendid as he scored twice in seven minutes in the second half to earn Southampton their first away win of the season.

Jim Smith, their assistant manager, said Southampton were fortunate to encounter a Middlesbrough undermined by injuries and recovering from midweek exertions in the Uefa Cup. But that should not detract from a good Saints performance that can only encourage their manager, Harry Redknapp, in his belief that they will extend their 27-year stay in the top flight.

Smith said: "It's a massive result for us because there is no way we were going to stay up if we didn't get an away win. There were a lot of good performances, but Peter Crouch was magnificent. I've been amazed by his ability on the ball and - with his size - he's a handful for anybody."

Boro's season is unravelling, however, at an alarming rate, with their exit from the Uefa Cup in midweek followed by a defeat that severely damages their chances of qualifying again for the competition through their League position. Deprived of 10 of their first-team squad through injury, Steve McClaren's team have now won only one of their last 10 Premiership games and have dropped to 11th in the table.

McClaren said: "We were poor and didn't deserve to win. There is a lot of doom and gloom around, but there are still eight games to go and we could still finish in Europe again."

Their prospects might have been brighter if Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink had been able to alter the course of the game by turning in Szilard Nemeth's cross after just four minutes. Southampton were fortunate to escape punishment and capitalised with an authoritative spell they cannot have equalled often this season, at home or away.

The goal Southampton deserved materialised in the 14th minute and came from Olivier Bernard's determination to win the ball ahead of Hasselbaink on the edge of the area. It broke to Henri Camara and his low cross eluded Crouch and two Middlesbrough players before the defender Andreas Jakobsson guided it home.

Middlesbrough produced an unexpected equaliser as Niemi added to the Premiership's lengthy list of goalkeeping errors this season when he failed to cling on to Bolo Zenden's shot. Niemi was momentarily reprieved when Joseph-Desire Job embarrassingly dragged his shot wide, but it rolled straight to Hasselbaink, who was left with a simple task in front of goal.

Southampton responded after 61 minutes when Bernard's raking cross from the left flank matched Gareth Southgate against the towering figure of Crouch, whose header left Mark Schwarzer flat-footed.

It was the start of a hectic spell for Schwarzer, who saved well from Crouch and Graeme Le Saux before the striker showed an assured touch to steer in Le Saux's cross in the 68th minute.

Goals: Jakobsson (14) 0-1; Hasselbaink (40) 1-1; Crouch (61) 1-2; Crouch (68) 1-3.

Middlesbrough (4-4-2): Schwarzer; Parnaby (Reiziger, 68), Southgate, Riggott, Queudrue; Nemeth (Graham, 68), Doriva, Zenden, Downing; Job, Hasselbaink. Substitutes not used: Jones (gk), Cooper, Wheater.

Southampton (4-4-2): Niemi; Delap, Lundekvam, Jakobsson, Bernard; Telfer, Redknapp, Quashie, Le Saux (A Svensson, 81); Crouch, Camara (Phillips, 70). Substitutes not used: Smith (gk), Higginbotham, Davenport.

Referee: U Rennie (Yorkshire).

Man of the match: Crouch.

Attendance: 30,082.